Chapter 12 - the bride who changed the papers
The photographs had been taken in different cities over six years.
A train station in Montreal.
A ferry terminal in Maine.
A clinic in northern France.
A crowded market in Prague.
The woman in the photographs resembled Nora, but her face was never fully visible.
Graham picked up one image.
“These are fake.”
“How can you know?” Evelyn asked.
“Because Nora is dead.”
“You never saw her body.”
“I saw the blood in her car.”
“That does not prove she died.”
Preston used the argument to move closer to the exit.
Celeste blocked him.
“Who is Northstar?”
“I don’t know.”
“You have been following this person’s instructions for three years.”
“All communication was encrypted.”
“Why would you obey a stranger?”
Preston laughed bitterly.
“Because Northstar paid Hawthorne Capital forty million dollars to purchase Vale’s debt.”
Graham lowered the photograph.
“The debt belongs to Northstar?”
“Through several holding companies.”
“You were never the lender,” Naomi said from the doorway.
She had returned with Marcus and the officers. Sophie remained safely in the kitchen with a female detective.
Preston looked toward the police.
Marcus raised his hands to show he was unarmed.
“No one needs to make this worse.”
Preston’s confidence returned.
“You cannot arrest me for discussing a legal guardianship plan.”
“You manufactured evidence against a child,” Evelyn said.
“The accusation never happened.”
“Not yet.”
“Then no crime was committed.”
Naomi held up her phone.
“You accessed sealed court records, submitted false statements and conspired to transfer assets through fraud. We have enough to begin.”
Preston smiled.
“You have fragments from an unauthorized recording system.”
“We also have your messages.”
“Messages from a device anyone could have placed here.”
He was right about one thing. The evidence was strong, but the larger plan had not yet occurred.
The wedding accusation had been scheduled for the next day.
Evelyn looked at Naomi.
Her friend understood immediately.
“You cannot be serious,” Naomi said.
“We need him to complete enough of the plan for the evidence to become undeniable.”
“You want to continue the wedding?”
“I want everyone responsible in the same room.”
Celeste shook her head.
“That is too dangerous.”
“You helped create the danger.”
“I made a terrible decision, but I will not allow Sophie to be used again.”
“She won’t be.”
Evelyn turned to Marcus.
“Can you secure every ballroom camera?”
“Yes.”
“Can you copy the recordings outside the hotel in real time?”
“Yes.”
“Can you place officers nearby without Preston knowing?”
The lead detective considered the question.
“If the child is never placed at risk.”
“She will not be alone for one second.”
Preston stared at Evelyn.
“You still need me to prevent the loan default.”
“No.”
He smiled.
“You have no other financing.”
Evelyn removed a pen from her bag.
It belonged to her grandmother and contained a tiny engraved crest.
“I met Naomi before coming here. I signed an emergency shareholder resolution removing Graham, Celeste and every Hawthorne representative from control of my voting rights.”
Graham looked stunned.
“You cannot do that without a board meeting.”
“The company charter allows the majority shareholder to suspend officers during suspected fraud.”
Naomi added, “The filing was completed thirty minutes ago.”
Evelyn turned to Preston.
“The documents you planned to place on the bridal table are worthless.”
“Then why continue the ceremony?”
“To find Northstar.”
For the first time, Preston appeared truly frightened.
May you like
“You have no idea who you are challenging.”
“No,” Evelyn said. “But tomorrow, the cameras will.”
